TFS: The Italian Mob
by raccoonqueen
Summary: The TFS head to Italy to confront a ruthless crime lord.
1. Prologue: Cast Out

Prologue: Cast Out

May 2, 3049

The lights were on at a glorious-looking mansion on the outskirts of Rome. This was the home of the infamous Furlini family, the Mafia-esque clan of gangsters who had been terrorizing the streets of the city for countless generations; almost everyone in Italy feared them, even the president of the country itself, for nobody had ever dared to oppose the family. Except one...

"You can't do this!" shouted a female raccoon, as a group of male raccoons held her tightly by the arms. "Robbing a bank is one thing, but making plans to flush out the national treasury is another! I'm appalled at what you're up to, Geraldo!"

A male raccoon smirked as he took another puff of his cigar. He said, "Whine all you want, _mia cara sorella_, but it's no use in stopping me now. I've taken over the family business, remember? Our father is dead, so I'm here to run things the way I want to. However, since your efforts to try and put me down has failed..."

"Don't make me call the police!"

"I dare you to try it. No matter what you do, they'll never listen to you." To the other raccoons, he ordered, "Take her away. And while you're at it...kill her."

Fearful that they might shoot her the moment she's out of the house, the female raccoon kicked herself free and started running away. One of the raccoons shouted, "She's getting away! Boss, permission to go after her?"

"No," replied the leader. "Just let her run. She doesn't know that she's going to be an outsider for the rest of her life, and it'll only be a matter of time before she comes running back here...so that we can help her put her out of her misery."

Meanwhile, the female raccoon arrived in Rome; by then it had started to rain. Knowing that he would still hunt her down, she chose to remain in hiding until he was either dead or arrested. But she did not know that one day, a fickle finger of Fate would come poking at her and she would end up meeting the very person who, unlike her brother, has enough love in his heart to keep her spirits up-Dash Roberts, of the TFS.


	2. Chapter 1: Heist Of The Century

Chapter 1: Heist Of The Century

In New York City, Dash had just begun his training. Not very long ago, he was a villain intent on taking over the world because he was jealous of his twin brother Charles; but then an interference from the guardian spirit of the raccoons forced him to change his ways and ever since that time he joined the TFS in his determination to become a better man. He was inside the Training Room with Brain, when they got a call from the TFS in Italy.

"I wonder who's calling us now?" asked Charles.

Bert went to answer it, and found out it was none other than Mario, of the TFS Italian Branch. He said, "President Raccoon? This is Mario of the TFS."

"Hey, Mario," replied Bert. "What's going on?"

"We've just picked up a female raccoon, who told us that her brother is robbing the Italian National Treasure blind."

"Okay. We will be there and talk to her, so make sure she is safe."

"Right, Mr. President."

The moment Bert hung the phone up, Charles got an idea. He noticed that Dash hasn't seen a lot of action, and that they do need to train their kids for the upcoming battle in the near future. He said, "I think we should let Dash and his new group to go to Italy for the mission."

"Why, Charles?" asked Bert. "He only just got started."

"For one thing, we need to train our kids for a bigger battle in the near future. And secondly, Dash hasn't learned to be a hero for once, so I think he should take over this mission, with Brain as his co-leader."

"Good point."

Overhearing this, Dash was surprised. He said, "Gee...I don't know what to say...thank you?"

"No problem, bro," replied Charles. "Who's going to be in your group? You can take only 30 people with you."

Dash began to think who he should take, since Brain was going with him. He finally decided to take 30 of the best members of the team (including Bert's sons) and they went on their way to Italy.

When they got to the TFS police station in Rome, Mario was talking with the female raccoon. Upon noticing Dash, he said, "Mr. Roberts, you're here. This is Francesca Furlini, whom we found wandering in the alley the other day. She's a member of the notorious Furlini Mafia family..."

"Ex-member," corrected the raccoon.

"Oh, yes, she's an ex-member of the family. And Francesca, this is Dash Roberts-he's going to be your bodyguard for the duration of this mission."

The raccoon turned to Dash and extended her paw out to him with a smile, saying, "_Buon giorno_, Signore Roberts. It is a real pleasure to have met you."

"Same here," replied Dash, shaking hands with her. "What brings you here to the station?"

"To report a prearranged crime Geraldo is plotting. He's my older brother, the self-proclaimed new leader of the clan; he means to solidify his position by pulling off the biggest heist of the century."

"And by that, you mean..."

"The Italian National Treasury. That's where all the riches of the nation are stored for safekeeping, and it's not just money-jewelry, gold, diamonds, silver, everything. Without the riches, everyone will end up being poor. And even worse, once Italy is swept clean financially, he'll tour the banks of Europe and soon the entire continent will be plunged into the next Great Depression."

"Have you ever told anyone else in your family about your brother's plan?"

"Not that I ever had the chance to-they were all shot and killed during a family feud. So I'm the only one."

Dash couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. With a reassuring smile, he put his hand on her shoulder and said, "I'm sorry to hear all that. But don't worry, 'cause if you stick with me you'll never have to be afraid. I promise you I won't rest until the heist is stopped and Geraldo Furlini is brought to justice."

Francesca looked up at him and smiled through misty tears. "_Grazie_. For that kind gesture, I'll be indebted to you..."

Dash smiled back. However, something in his heart told him that this meeting was quite unusual; for the first time since his reformation, he had met a young woman who wasn't like any of the other women who had scorned him in the past. She was polite...she was cheerful...and, most importantly, she was beautiful...

"Ahem! Dash..."

Startled out of his daydream, he turned his attention to Rocky, who appeared beside him. Dash asked, "Yes?"

"All preparations are set for the nationwide manhunt of Geraldo Furlini," replied Rocky. "Now we need your permission to start."

Dash looked at Francesca, who gave him a thumbs-up. With a determined mindset, he turned back to Rocky and nodded. "Permission granted. Let's get this show on the road!"


	3. Chapter 2: The Nightwatch

Chapter 2: The Nightwatch

Later that day, two thugs (a rat and a cat), who acted as Geraldo's spies, came to the Furlini place and revealed their findings; sure enough, he was pissed at the news.

"WHAT?" he roared. "SHE'S WITH THE TOON FORCE SQUAD?"

"Yeah, boss," replied the first thug. "They came out of nowhere and fought us."

The second thug added, "And she escaped."

Geraldo wasn't too impressed with the news. Picking up a machine gun, he growled, "You two have failed me. NOW DIE!"

He procceeded to shoot both thugs, instantly killing them. To the rest of his crew and continued, "She has told the TFS about my plans, but what she doesn't know is that my second plan is to find this power-the power of Time Freeze. With this power, we can use it on any one of the banks around Europe in ten seconds flat and be out of there, so they don't know what hit them. But we need to keep the TFS busy and recaputre my sister; I think I need to hire someone to do that job. Benito! Get Bounty Hunter Major Blood on the phone, and tell him I've got a job for him."

"Right, boss."

Night fell, and the TFS (with Francesca on board) arrived at the Italian National Treasury Building in Naples. Dan said, "Okay. Right now, we need to stage a nightwatch in front of the Italian National Treasury Buliding, then capture Geraldo so he can be brought to trial.

"Bert Jr., Rocky, Sidney, James, and Andrew," added Brain. "You'll guard the east entrance. Team 2 will guard the west entrance, Team 3 will take the upstairs area, and Team 4 will take the basement. As for Team 5, since I will be with them, will be guarding the safe."

"So that's your orders for tonight. So move out."

"Yes, sir."

At first, the task of guarding the building was quite easy. But, as time went on, it became harder than they thought; most of the team members ended up falling asleep while the others tried to stay awake. Francesca was leaning against a wall of the building with Dash, when she cringed at the glare of something shining on her face. Upon looking up, she could've sworn she saw a dark shiloette of a tall dog (possibly a long-haired one) tilting what looks like a mirror against a flashlight. A sudden realization came to her-mirror morse codes!

"Signore Roberts, wake up!" she whispered. "Someone's sending us a message!"

Dash stirred from his nap. He murmured tiredly, "What...does it say?"

Francesca squinted her eyes, attempting to translate the repeated flashes of the mirror. "It's saying...stay away from Italian National Treasury Building...not safe...get away while you still can..."

"Are you saying that person wants us to leave this building? Not a chance, Francesca. The president told us to protect it. We're not going to leave it, even if it's for our own good."

Just as he said that, a hundred raccoons ran out and surrounded the entire building; looking around at all of them made Dash rethink his decision. "On second thought...maybe you're right. RUN!"


	4. Chapter 3: An Unexpected Reunion

Chapter 3: An Unexpected Reunion

Dash and his teams began to fire on the thugs, as they rstarted running towards their van. Brain got into the driver's side and drove off fast, with the thugs following them in their own cars. Hence the beginning of an epic car chase.

"They're gaining on us!" shouted Sidney.

Brian nodded and put the oil slick on, making the cars behind the van spin off and crash into buildings. Just when they thought things were safe, an Australian car came out and went after the van; inside of it was Major Blood himself. He spoke into his walkie-talkie, "I got the blokes right in my sight, Geraldo!"

"Good," replied Geraldo on the other end. "But don't blow up that van-Francesca's in there. Try to crash it, or shoot the tires, but don't blow it up. I will pay you more if you leave the girl alive."

"You got it, mate."

Major Blood kept firing on the van as he dodged them, then Dash and the others fired back. Dash said, "Major Blood used to work for Cobra, and now he's a hired thug."

"My brother must have paid him to go after me," replied Francesca. "He's known to be the worst criminal of all mankind and toonkind."

Andrew chimed in, "Well, as long as that Crocodile Dundee wannabe doesn't kill us, we're safe."

But Major Blood had other plans-he had a laser sniper gun, aimed at all four tires of the van. Seeing this from the rearview mirror, Sidney muttered, "Shoot...we're royally screwed..."

ZAP! ZAP! ZAP ZAP! HISSSSSSSS! CRASH!

The TFS van veered off the road and ended up crashing in the alley. The TFS came out to check themselves for any possible injuries; fortunately, none of the members were harmed. Carefully leading Francesca out of the van, Dash said, "Our van crashed, but we're still all right. I guess we may have to walk...but only with caution. After all, we'll never know what else may happen."

Suddenly, an icy-white ray shot at Francesca, freezing her on the spot. Then they looked up to see Major Blood with a Time Freeze Ray. He said with a smirk, "I knew this would be easy, playing a game of cat-and-mouse with the lot of you blokes." Picking up Francesca and carrying her on his shoulder, he made his way back to his van. He continued, "Thanks for the prize, though. I hope you won't mind me returning the favor..."

He pressed a button on the dashboard and the side door opened to reveal three hungry man-eating crocodiles. "Bon appetite, loves. Have fun with your late-night snacks!"

As soon as the van drove off, the TFS were left behind to face the crocodiles. Bert Jr., always the seasoned wrestling veteran, ventured in to try to tackle the giant reptiles. The others followed suit, but with no success whatsoever. Now they had nothing to do but to back up against the wall, as the crocodiles crept closer towards them, more than eager to gobble them up. One of them grabbed Rocky by the arm with its own teeth and began mauling him immediately. It was about to begin biting his torso off when all of a sudden...

...something grabbed the crocodile by its tail from behind and forcefully pulled it away. The other two crocodiles were pulled in as well. Dash pulled Rocky away from the scene of the massacre that almost cost him his life; what he and the crew saw next blew them away. A female Rough Collie was there, embroiled in a bitter wrestling match with the crocodiles; she wore a lime-green hoodie with blue jeans and white sneakers. Oddly enough, she looked just like Colleen...but could it _really _be her?

With fierce determination in her blazing blue eyes, the collie beat up the crocodiles one by one; by the time she was finished, they had already started slinking away in fear. She then called out angrily, "Beat it, you dirty rascals! If you dare to come near them one more time, I'll break your freakin' necks!"

Yep, definitely _not _Colleen. Her accent was far more different. The collie turned around to face the TFS and walked towards him. Upon reaching Rocky, she bent down to his level and lifted him up. She examined his face, before gasping in realization; something in her mind told her that this person looks extremely familiar to her. She even recognized his scent. And those gentle brown eyes of his...

"R...Rocky...?"

Rocky's eyes fluttered open in response to his name; the first thing he saw was the face of the collie who rescued him. He, too, immediately recognized her. He murmurred, "S-Sarah? Sarah...is that...you?"

An eerie silence reigned for a moment. Then, with tears streaming from her eyes, the collie extended her pinkie finger out to him. "Blueberry, gooseberry, key-lime pie..."

Rocky did the same. "...friends forever 'til the day we die..."

Once their pinkie fingers were hooked around each other in a sort of secret handshake, both of them began to embrace each other, laughing happily. The rest of the TFS looked on, puzzled at this warm-hearted scene unfolding before their eyes. Brain cleared his throat to get their attention.

"I'd hate to interrupt the happy occasion," he said. "But who _is _that girl?"

Rocky chuckled, before getting up with the collie. He replied, "Guys, I'd like you to meet a very old friend of mine-Sarah Roberts. She's the daughter of Charles Roberts III and his wife Colleen."

Dash blinked. A few days before his mission began, Charles had filled him in on the many relatives that they had. Lots of brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, half-brothers, half-sisters, cousins, half-cousins, and step-cousins...out of all the members of the Evergreen Family, the Roberts family were the ones with the most extensive family tree. Charles III was one of Charles and Dash's half-brothers, and that meant...

"I have another niece," he whispered, still stunned.

Sarah came up to him and enveloped him in a big bear hug. She said, "Hey, Uncle D! Good to see ya! I've heard so much about you."

"Yeah, but...how did you know about me? I was evil back then..."

"...and then you turned to the good side. I heard it on the news a couple of months ago-at first, I didn't believe all that rubbish about a bad guy reforming, but now I know it's true."

They looked at Rocky, who was still cringing from the injuries caused by his encounter with the crocodiles. James said, "We have to get Rocky to the hospital fast. The injuries he received are close to being fatal, and there's a 50/50 chance of him developing a disease if any germs get into his bloodstream from anywhere."

"I'll take care of him," said Sarah, lifting the raccoon up into her arms. "Follow me, I know the nearest hospital we can take him to." To Rocky, she added with a smile, "It's been a long time since we've last seen each other. We'll talk after we get you all fixed up; we have a _lot _of catching-up to do."


	5. Chapter 4: Old Memories, New Changes

Chapter 4: Old Memories, New Changes

Rocky was taken to the hospital, to be treated for injuries and bruises. In the recovery room, he procceded to tell the crew about his relationship with Sarah.

"It's hard to explain how excited I am to see her again, after all these years," he said. "Me, Bert Jr., Sarah and her half-siblings...we all grew up together. But she, out of all the others, was our favorite playmate."

"She was?" asked Andrew.

Bert Jr. nodded. "We used to go to the Roberts place in Denver every weekend, to play with them. Sometimes, they even came over to play or hang out with us. Good times, indeed."

Rocky added, "That is, until I got to high school. Sarah and I slowly started to drift apart when I began dating Bright Eyes, and by the time she went to college overseas...I never saw her again after that."

"And now I'm back," replied Sarah, taking his paw in hers. "I'm amazed at how much both of you have changed since that day."

"Yes. I have since been married with five wives and five children."

"Oh, you're quite the family man, aren't you?"

"I sure was. And I still am."

Watching Rocky, Bert Jr., and Sarah continue their conversation, Dash kept his distance. He wasn't happy that he let Major Blood get Francesca, and now he was planning to get his revenge against both him and Geraldo.

Meanwhile, in the Furlini place, Major Blood brough Francesca over to Geraldo, who said, "Thanks, Major Blood, The money is in your swiss bank account. I'll need you again anyway, since Dash will try to rescue her."

"You're welcome, mate," replied Major Blood, and he left.

Geraldo had his men tie up Francesca and throw her into a special room. He continued maliciously, "You're lucky I'm not going to kill you now, but after I kill your new lover Dash and the TFS, then you be the last...because I want you to suffer."

"I'll never suffer!" retorted Francesca. "Do whatever you want to me, but I'll never give in to death! I know Dash will rescue me-he and his men will capture you and put you away for good!"

"We'll see about that, _mia cara sorella_."

As soon as the door slammed shut, Francesca started to cry. Then she looked up at the window, the moonbeams pouring in through the iron bars. A devout Catholic herself, she began to pray fervently, hoping and wishing that Dash would come for her one day.


	6. Chapter 5: A Surprise For Delilah

Chapter 5: A Surprise For Delilah

"So, let me get this straight," said Dash. "Geraldo's got the Time Freeze...now how are we going to counter that? He stole it, and now he can use it on anyone and get the money."

Sarah replied, "I got a friend that work on that, and I can call him."

"Good idea."

Then she went to call her friend, and this time they found a way to defeat the time frezee. Meanwhile, back on the home front, all was quiet in Evergreen City. Peaceful and quiet...until it was broken by the sound of vomiting.

Inside the White House, Delilah Raccoon (Rocky's fifth wife) stood hunched over the toilet in the bathroom, throwing up. The noise woke up several occupants of the house, who were standing outside near the door.

"Delilah?" asked Maggie, knocking on the door. "Are you all right?"

Delilah groaned. "Don't...don't come in! I don't feel too good..."

"Oh...are you sick?"

"More than sick...I'm just plain...nauseous..."

Rainbow Dash facepalmed. She muttered, "It's four o' clock in the morning, and already she's waking us up by puking her guts out! Can't we get some peace and quiet around here?"

"Well, she _is _sick," replied Bright Eyes. "I'd suggest we leave her alone for a while until she gets better."

Delilah sat on the floor with a heavy sigh. She had no idea why she felt nauseous all of a sudden; it had been that way for a couple of days, growing worse every morning. What was making her sick? A stomach flu? Indigestion? Food poisoning? But then, her mind started backtracking to the events of five months ago, when she and Rocky were about to get married. It was then he proposed to her and made a promise to bring back her dead son, the only way he knows how.

FLASHBACK

_Rocky turned to her and continued, "I'm very proud of you for the way you decided to handle Psycho all by yourself. I just wanted to say thank you for saving our lives."_

_"No," replied Delilah. "I wanted to thank _you_, for inspiring me to leave the past behind. Yes, I've finally erased Psycho out of the picture for good...but that means my son doesn't exist either. My poor sweet Jude..."_

_"It's okay. The way I understand it, he doesn't deserve to be the father of your child. But somebody else will."_

_"Who?"_

_Rocky smiled, took her paw, and held it in his paws. He answered, "Me."_

_Delilah smiled back. "If you're proposing marriage, I'll accept it. I'm certain you'll make a great father."_

END OF FLASHBACK

Then she remembered the night of passion they had together six weeks ago. Delilah blushed at the memory-it was a wild "spring fling", all right. An inkling of suspicion made her realize that this wasn't what she thought it was. Could she be pregnant? She got up, flung open the doors of the medicine cabinet, and scanned its shelves; her eyes fell on one small box sitting in the left corner of the bottom shelf. She thought, "_A box of pregnancy tests...those belong to Honey. I hope she doesn't mind me using one of them_..."

Five miniutes later, Delilah stood waiting for the results of the test. After what seemed like a while, she checked it and became stunned at what she just saw...two small red lines. She gasped. Perhaps Rocky's promise to her on that day really _did _come to fruition after all...

"I'm...I-I'm pregnant...I'm finally pregnant...this is wonderful!"

She hugged the test close to her and wept happily, as if to thank it for the answer to the problem it has brought her. Soon, thanks to her husband, she would have her precious son back.

Back in Italy, a male bat was leaning against a wall in the deep dark ghettos of Sicily. Just then, he heard his cell phone ring and he took it out to answer it. He said, "Hello?"

"Rocket, it's me," said the voice from the other end. "This is Sarah Roberts. I'm at the hospital with the TFS. Can you meet me up there? We've got a special job for you."

"Fire away."

The bat listened intentively to the details, before nodding and hanging up. He ran off, jumped up, and took off into the nighttime sky, on his way to Naples.


	7. Chapter 6: Meet Rocket The Bat

Chapter 6: Meet Rocket The Bat

It was soon after the bat arrived that Sarah began introducing him to them. She said, "Guys, this is Rocket the Bat. He's the twin brother of Rouge the Bat."

"And Anthors' brother-in-law," commented Dash.

"Rocket, we've got a problem. There's this guy named George Furlini, head of the infamous Raccoon Mafia, and he has a Time Watch that allows him to freeze time. Do you have anything we can use against that?"

Rocket shook his head. He replied, "Not a clue. But someone did make that gadget, and we need to find more clues for a weapon that deals with time."

Brain said, "Hold it! There's one man I know who deals with time and that guy is Doc Brown."

Dash looked at him. "How did you know, Brain?'

"Inspector Gadget and I met him one time, when he came into our timeline."

"And is he still living right now?"

Brain nodded. "Yep. We still keep in contact with each other; right now, he's on vacation way up in Florence. If we can get there, he'll tell us how we can counter the Time Freeze."

Shortly after Rocky's discharge from the hospital, the TFS went to Florence to see Doc Brown and tell him about their plan. He said, "While there is no real solution to counter the Time Freeze, the only way we can stop him from using it is if we stole the Time Watch from him. That's why I have made another one, just for this purpose."

"Thanks, Doc," replied Dash, taking the second Time Watch. "We'll definitely use it."

"You're very welcome. However, here's a warning I need all of you to consider-you must handle the Time Watch with as much safety and care as you would do to an ordinary watch. If it breaks, it could have disastrous effects on its user and anybody who is with the user at the time...so you mustn't drop it."

Dash nodded. "We'll keep that in mind, too."

Back in Evergreen City, Delilah had already returned home from visiting the doctor; elated that her pregnancy has been confirmed, she was more than eager to tell Rocky the good news. She rushed to her room, picked up her laptop, and began writing an E-mail to her husband. But she was about to click "Send" when Bert came into the room. He said, "Hiya, Delly! Are you feeling better now?"

"I'm fine," replied Delilah. "In fact, I'm more than fine. I just found out I was pregnant, and I'm about to tell Rocky about-"

"That's great! Have you told everyone else, too?"

"No...not yet, at least. This is only between me and him; I might have to wait a couple of months before I can make it public."

"Oh...well, good luck with that. And here's hoping Rocky will be here soon."

Watching her father-in-law leave the room, Delilah couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the way he tries to pry his nose into private matters. She smiled, before looking at the E-mail she had written.

_Dear Rocky,_

_I'm sorry to interrupt your participation in the mission overseas, but I have some wonderful news. Do you remember that "spring fling" we had together several weeks ago? Here is the result: I'M PREGNANT! Surprised? I'm sure you _will _be. Hope to hear from you soon._

_With love & kisses,  
Delilah Raccoon_

Delilah smiled warmly, before clicking "Send". She said, "I can't wait to see the look on his face when he gets the message."


	8. Chapter 7: It's Over, Geraldo!

Chapter 7: It's Over, Geraldo!

Back in Italy, Dash got a call from the chief of the TFS Italian Branch, saying that Geraldo is going after the biggest bank in Rome-the Mario Bank.

"Oh, no!" said Mario. "He's going after my bank!"

Dash replied, "Now we know where he's going; we'll need to set a plan."

As they began planning how to capture Geraldo and rescue Francesca, Rocky got an E-mail on his iPhone and he answered it. He read the E-mail, before setting it back down, an expression of surprise on his face. Sarah said, "Rocky? What seems to be the problem?"

"It's one of my wives," he replied. "She just sent me an E-mail...telling me she's...pregnant."

"Really? That's awesome! I guess you two didn't lose time, huh?"

"Yeah..."

Sarah looked out the window at the scenery passing by; she sighed. "I would like to have kids someday. After all that Mom and Dad had done for me and my half-siblings, I want to experience their kind of parenthood...I'd be the best mom I could ever be...if only I found a man..."

Rocky smiled, reached over, and took her paw into his. He replied, "Someday, Sarah...someday you _will _find a husband in your future."

"...perhaps someone like you?"

The raccoon clammed up at hearing the question. If Sarah wanted him to be her boyfriend, he couldn't tell whether she was just joking or if she was actually serious. Looking back on all the good times they had together when they were kids, it was clear she was serious about falling in love.

Finally, he shrugged, before replying, "Sarah, if it's okay with me to be your boyfriend, then it's okay with you. You said you were looking for a man, so here I am. But...I think it's better if we simply took it slow."

"Why?"

"We haven't seen each other for a long time, and we need plenty of time to adjust to our new level of relationship. Are you fine with this?"

Sarah smiled. "I can accept that."

Later that night, Geraldo and the Raccoon Mafia had already infiltrated the Mario Bank, and they were about to bust open the door to the vault. Just then, Dash rushed in and shouted, "Hold it right there, Geraldo Furlini! Now that we've got you and your goons cornered, consider your heist spree officially over!"

"Go ahead, Signore Roberts," replied Geraldo with a smirk. "Try to get close enough to capture me. But remember that if you do so, it's going to cost you someone else's life..." He gestured for one of the men to turn on the TV set, revealing Francesca inside Major Blood's van, still bound and gagged, and surrounded by the three crocodiles the TFS had encountered before. "...especially a life like hers!"

"Francesca!" gasped Dash.

"So, what's it going to be? Leave me alone and I'll have Major Blood set her free. However, if you as much as lay a hand on me or any of my men, she's crocodile chow! Think quickly, make your choice, and nobody gets hurt."

"I don't care! Let her go right now! Besides, I have...this..."

He took out the Time Watch, making Geraldo stare in shock. "W-What? Another Time Watch? How is it possible that you..."

"You have to thank good ole' Doc Brown for the assistance. That said, it's time you're going down!"

"Huh...so that's the way you want it, eh? You leave me no choice. Raccoon Mafia...ATTACK!"


	9. Chapter 8: The Great Bank Battle

Chapter 8: The Great Bank Battle

The Raccoon Mafia jumped on the TFS and started attacking them. Dash saw Geraldo about  
to call Major Blood to kill Francesca, and he pushed the Time Buttion to freeze time. He ran out to the van, opened it, untied Francesca, and took her out of the van. Carrying the still-frozen raccoon on his shoulder, he ran back into the bank and pushed the button.

"Major Blood!" shouted Geraldo. "Tell the crocs to kill Francesca!"

Major Blood looked at the TV screen and noticed the crocodiles looking around puzzledly, wondering where their "dinner" had gone off to. He said, "Uh, Boss, she's not here."

"WHAT?"

Dash walked in with Francesca. He said, "She's right here with me, Geraldo."

Geraldo gritted his teeth, seething with anger. "So, you used that Time Watch and to get the drop on me...well, two can play that game. Let's use the Time Watch and face in a time battle-then we'll see how fast we can slash each other to pieces!"

"You're on!"

They both pushed the button at the same time and went fast slashing at each other. Outside of the Time Watch, the other TFS members were still fighting, while Brain carried Francesca to safely. She fluttered her eyes open, dazed and confused. She looked up and whispered, "D-Dash? Signore Roberts...?"

"Dash is in there fighting your brother," replied Brain, gently setting her down. "I'm here to keep an eye on you until the battle's over."

"Is he going to be all right?"

"Now that you mention it, I'm not sure."

Suddenly, a bright blue light flashed from within the bank, along with what felt like a miniature earthquake; this time Francesca was even worried. She jumped up and ran towards the bank, with Brain following her. Nothing prepared them for what they saw inside-one of the Time Watches was broken to pieces.

"This is not good," muttered Brain, remembering the warning Doc Brown had given them about what happens if a Time Watch breaks.

Francesca looked around, before gasping in shock. Geraldo was standing on top of Dash, with his sword ready to be thrust through his chest. Smirking evilly, he said, "Now who's the clever one?"

Dash murmurred weakly, "You'll...never win, Geraldo...I'll still beat you...even if I'm dead..."

Backing out, Brain said, "I'll be...outside when this is over. Come on, Francesca..."

"I'm _not _going."

He was stunned at her answer. She continued boldly, "If I want to help him bring my brother to justice, then I _must _stay here! Besides, I'm not going to let him kill Dash."

"...so you're not going to call him 'Signore Roberts' any more?"

"He _was _'Signore Roberts', until he rescued me. From the very beginning when we first met, I regarded him as a tough but kind soul. And now that I know these feelings I'm showing are true...that I want us to be more than just friends...oh, Signore Brain, how I loved him! If only I had the courage to tell him so..."

"If you want to tell him you love him, _mia sorella_," retorted Geraldo. "Why not say it at his deathbed? Say arrivaderci, Signore Roberts!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

She ran over and fell upon Dash, blocking her brother's coming attack. "You will have to go through me first."

Geraldo snarled. "Very well, then. Guess I'll have to kill two birds with only one stone."

He was about to thrust the sword through both Dash and Francesca when a glowing white light surrounded the couple, all around them the whole building started to shake and quake, its walls starting to crumble down.

"EARTHQUAKE!" shouted one of his henchmen. "LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!"

The Raccoon Mafia quickly ran out of the Mario Bank, screaming frantically in Italian. That left the TFS to pull Dash and Francesca from off the ground and carry them out to safety. Geraldo shouted, "Wait! What about me? Arrest me, I-I'll do anything!"

"There's one thing you can do," replied Brain. "Rot in Hell."

As he said that, a piece of a wall broke off and fell on Geraldo, killing him. Outside, all of the members of the Raccoon Mafia and Major Blood had been arrested, and they were all put into the vans of the TFS Italian Branch.

"Very good work, Mr. Roberts," said Mario. "Although my bank has been destroyed and you may not have captured him alive, you are without a doubt a brilliant leader."

"Thanks," replied Dash. "I fared well." Looking at Francesca, he continued, "But don't forget that all the credit for finishing the battle goes to the woman I love."

Francesca blushed at that. She whispered, "Oh..._grazie_, Dash. I-I really appreciate it."

"You'd appreciate it more if you come with us to Canerica. Not only you'll get to leave the past behind, but you'll also have an opportunity to build your own future."

"Really?"

Dash nodded. "First, you'll become a Canerican citizen...then you'll join the TFS...and, if the Fates allow it...you'll be my wife."

"I'll happily await your proposal when that time comes."

Dash turned to the others and said, "Now that the mission's over and the Raccoon Mafia is gone for good...what do you say we head back home to celebrate our victory?"

The TFS agreed and went to take a plane back home to Evergreen City. Dash's three wishes had already come true-a chance to be a hero, a chance to complete his first mission, and a chance to have his first girlfriend.


	10. Chapter 9: A Tearful Reunion

Chapter 9: A Tearful Reunion

"Good morning, Canerica," began Polly Purebred. "This is Polly Purebred of the CTBS Morning News, reporting live on the front lawn of the White House in Evergreen City. The word is out that Dash Roberts and his team have successfully put a stop to what could have been the biggest heist in European history. Geraldo Furlini, the ringleader of the notorious Raccoon Mafia, has been declared dead and most of his accomplices-including Major Blood-have all been arrested and awaiting trial. In the meantime, we'll celebrate another successful mission and we are waiting on their return even as I speak...and goodness gracious, here they are now!"

Residents of Evergreen City gathered at the Len Carlson International Airport to applaud the heroes' return to Canerica. As soon as Dash and his teammates left the airport, he introduced his other teammates to their new friends-especially Sarah, who was happily (and tearfully) reunited with her parents.

"Good work, Dash," said Charles. "Now you're a TFS Commander for your squad. I see you also got a girlfriend of your own."

Dash replied, "Yeah. This is Francesca Furlini-we became a couple after I beat Geraldo. But I hope Brian doesn't get jealous of me."

Brain said, "Don't worry, Dash; I will find a girl soon."

"Three cheers for our buddy Dash Roberts!" said Pinkie Pie, bouncing happily. "This calls for a party!"

Rocky said, "Need I mention that my wife is pregnant, too?"

Everyone stared at him in shock. Delilah whispered, "Rocky! I didn't want anybody else to know yet!" After a while, she chuckled and added, "Oh, what the hey...Pinkie, make that a double party! I'm going to be a mother again!"

"Okie-dokie-lokie!"

And so the TFS went back home to celebrate the completion of Dash's first mission. Bert Jr. said, "It's good to be back home at last...Dad, where's Aunt Eulalia? We didn't see her among the crowd."

"Oh, Eulie has gone to Europe," replied Bert. "She did tell me that after having been brought back to life, she always wanted to see the world. After all, you'll _never _know what you might find there, or who you might meet. What's the worst that can happen, anyway?"


	11. Chapter 10: Trouble In Transylvania

Chapter 10: Trouble In Transylvania

Obviously, something worse _did _happen to Eulalia Raccoon. While taking a tour through the dark and eerie forests of Transylvania, she was attacked and chased by a pack of werewolves; fearing for her life, Eulalia desperately searched for a hiding place...to no avail. It was no use, so the only thing she could do was hope somebody would rescue her.

All of a sudden, as she cowered down to the ground, she heard the sounds of pained yelps and whimpers from within a mile away. Looking up, she noticed the werewolves backing away from a tall and shadowy figure in the distance; she could tell the figure was a fox due to its body form (and bushy tail), yet she wasn't able to make out who it was.

The figure's demonic voice echoed as it shouted, "THIS IS THE TERRITORY OF LORD RAYIAN FOX! BE OFF WITH YOU, OR DIE!"

One by one, the werewolves slinked away quickly and turned tail to run off, until they were gone. Still hurt and weak, Eulalia watched as the shadowy figure walked towards her; when it stepped closer, she instantly realized who it was. He looked stunningly familiar to her. Perhaps _too _familiar. Those blazing red eyes...sharp fangs...claws on both the paws and the feet...

"Are you all right, my dear?"

She said nothing. She was too stunned to say anything, let alone glare at him. Finally, she managed to utter just one word, under her breath.

"Rayian..."

_To be continued!_


End file.
